Archives for April 29, 2007

'In the second overtime Roy would take a penalty as he tripped up Sean Avery on the face off. But the Sabres would off their second penalty in as many overtime periods. New York defenseman Paul Mara would be called for hooking Thomas Vanek along the boards to give Buffalo a chance on the power play with nine minute left in the second overtime. But once again the Sabres could not score with the man advantage. Just minutes after the penalty kill, Michal Rozsival score the game winner on a shot through traffic from the point to win Game Three 2-1 in double overtime.'

'Daniel Briere scored the lone Sabres goal, and Ryan Miller made 44 saves in a losing effort.'

'After that, it was a goaltending duel between Henrik Lundqvist and Sabres counterpart Ryan Miller. Lundqvist stopped 38 shots and became a winner when Rozsival beat Miller with the Rangers' 46th shot.'

'Many postings consist of just one word — “Miller!” after a big save by the Sabres goalie, for example, or certain words that can’t be repeated in a family newspaper following a Buffalo penalty or an opponent’s goal.'

'But the Sabres are coming off a game in which they failed to generate much offense for 40 minutes. They took four shots in the first period, five in the second. They capitalized on two Ranger mistakes in the third period to win. “They made some good adjustments and we struggled with it,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.'

'His decision to move Drew Stafford from left wing on Chris Drury’s line to right wing on Derek Roy’s line hardly was an epiphany. Ruff needed to arouse his lines. He had been holding that card all along. Stafford answered with a perfect feed for Thomas Vanek’s winner, and the Sabres escaped from a game in which they were outplayed.'

'Still, there’s cause for concern as the series shifts to the Big Apple, former stomping grounds of Yogi Berra, who once uttered the selfevident phrase that continues to resonate: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”'

'“It doesn’t matter where I’m going to play,” Afinogenov told a crowd of reporters huddled around his locker stall. “As long as the team’s winning, you know?'

'An elementary school teacher there said the other day that she gave her students this essay assignment: "If you had two tickets to the Sabres game, who would you take with you and why?" It was her way of asking, "Who is the most important person in your life?" because the Sabres are that important to the life of the city.'

Rangers’ Plan of Attack Is to Keep Thinking Defense First (New York Times)

These Are the Saves to Remember (New York Times)

Rangers’ fate sits on Jaromir’s stick (New York Daily News)

Sabre rattling (New York Post)

Garden doing more to ticket people off (New York Post)

‘We’re down, but we’re not out yet’ (New York Newsday)

Hockey is just blip on radar screen of NY sports scene (New York Newsday)

Rangers eager to get back to Garden (White Plains Journal News)

Rangers preach keeping confidence (Newark Star Ledger)

Rangers return home for critical Game Three (Sportsticker)

(1) Buffalo Sabres (2-0) at (6) New York Rangers (0-2) (The Sports Network)

No place like home for the Blueshirts today (NewYorkRangers.com)

Rangers daily prospect update (NewYorkRangers.com)